Shri Hit Chaurasi, pad 24
Pad 24 of the 84 pads of the Shri Hit Chaurasi, composed in Braj Bhasha by Shri Hit Harivansh Mahaprabhu, founder of the Radhavallabh Sampradaya. It opens: “आजु गोपाल रास रस खेलत”.
The pad in full
आजु गोपाल रास रस खेलत,
पुलिन कलपतरु तीर री सजनी ।
सरद विमल नभ चंद विराजत,
रोचक त्रिविध समीर री सजनी ।।
चंपक बकुल मालती मुकुलित,
मत्त मुदित पिक कीर री सजनी ।
देसी सुघंग राग रँग नीकौ,
ब्रज जुवतिनु की भीर री सजनी ।।
मघवा मुदित निसान बजायौ,
व्रत छाँड़यौ मुनि धीर री सजनी ।
(जै श्री)हित हरिवंश मगन मन स्यामा,
हरति मदन घन पीर री सजनी
In Roman letters
aaju gopaal raas ras khelat,
pulin kalapataru teer ree sajanee .
sarad vimal nabh chand viraajat,
rochak trividh sameer ree sajanee .
chanpak bakul maalatee mukulit,
matt mudit pik keer ree sajanee .
desee sughang raag rang neekau,
braj juvatinu kee bheer ree sajanee .
maghavaa mudit nisaan bajaayau,
vrat chhaanrayau muni dheer ree sajanee .
(jai shree)hit harivansh magan man syaamaa,
harati madan ghan peer ree sajanee
The pads of the Chaurasi are left here without a translation, as on the full Chaurasi page: sixteenth century Braj Bhasha does not survive a one-line English gloss, and a wrong meaning of a devotional text is worse than none. Each pad closes with the chhap, the signature line naming Shri Hit Harivansh, which is how a pad is known to be his.
Questions about pad 24
Who wrote pad 24 of the Shri Hit Chaurasi?
Shri Hit Harivansh Mahaprabhu, founder of the Radhavallabh Sampradaya, in the sixteenth century. The closing line carries his name, the traditional signature of authorship in Braj poetry.
How does pad 24 begin?
It opens “आजु गोपाल रास रस खेलत”, in Roman letters “aaju gopaal raas ras khelat,”.
Is pad 24 sung or recited?
Sung. The pads of the Chaurasi are set to classical ragas, and rasik sants in the kunjs of Vrindavan still sing them.
Why is there no English meaning for this pad?
Braj Bhasha of this period carries layers that a short English gloss flattens, and a wrong paraphrase of a devotional text is worse than none. The text is given as it is recited.
Can I download the Shri Hit Chaurasi?
Yes. All 84 pads are in a free PDF on the downloads page, with no account or email needed.